Chlorox
by Crash Ichimonji
Summary: A series of one-shots from the main storyline with role-reversals between famous male/female duos.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Senseless Oinking:

Author's Senseless Oinking:

Well, been in a creative slump…

-Boot to the head from angry Evangelion fans-

…Okay, laziness for my Eva fanfic 'The Last Man on Earth', so I thought I'd get the old mind a'rumblin' in something else and get the systems back to normal. This was an idea of mine that only recently seemed like an interesting subject. Probably been done a ton of times here on , and I don't give a damn. It's my work, my ideas, and Tite Kubo's universe; you may now man the helms for safety. This will be a series of one-shots based (mainly) on the Bleach manga storyline where certain male and female duos have their roles reversed. One thing to note, some names and relationships between characters will be changed as a result of the switching. For example: Hisana (Rukia's older sister and Byakuya's dead wife) is switched with Masaki because Rukia is a Kurosaki in this chapter and so Hisana is now the departed matron of the Kurosaki home. By the same token, Masaki would then be the late wife of Byakuya…Which means…Heh heh heh…

Disclaimer:

I do not own the rights to Bleach and all its related themes, characters, and plots. Tite Kubo does and NOT me. I also don't own the rights to the detergent product Clorox. I just couldn't think of a better title for this idea. Not that the title is bad…Just…Okay, nevermind…

The sun was setting, the sky ablaze with an ocre and crimson that would be simply divine were it not for the fact that…

…I was REALLY pissed!

"Oh shit!" the three delinquents gasped as I drop-kicked their leader square in his ugly mug, making a new speed-bump in the road with him.

"I'm going to ask you again!" I growled at them. "WHO was the oaf that knocked down that bottle of flowers!"

At first they trembled, but one seemed to sprout a spine as the next one of them pulled out a knife, charging with a battle roar…

…which turned to a meow as I dodged his attack and pulled his hand behind his back painfully.

"Was it you?" I scowled as I began popping joint after joint in his hand.

"GYAAH!" he screamed like a little girl as his hand slowly was contorted in ways unnatural. "OKAY! HIIIIIIII! I did it! Just sto-AAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHH!" he cried as I flipped him over me, quite a feat for someone of my height and weight, and plowed him into the concrete.

"Now then," I turned to the other lackeys. "Here's a question: why would someone put flowers at a roadway? You! To the left!" I pointed to the ugliest member of the posse.

"UH…Um, because a girl was hit by a car there a few days back-"

"Correct!" I yelled with a flying side-kick to his gut. His friend gasped in horror as he became the last standing member of the group. With an evil scowl, I simply glowered back at him. "Now, here's a better question: why shouldn't I beat you all so hard that YOU'LL be needing flowers??"

With cowardly a shriek, the thug fell to the ground and crawled away as his injured friends turned tail and ran too, pleading for mercy.

I stood up and cricked my neck. Sheesh, not even a sweat after all the pulverizing I just did…In any case, I went back to the bottle and turned it back up. The ethereal form beside me appeared, me being the only one to see her as the girl who had passed away showed herself.

"Wow…You sure are tough," she awed with a smile.

"Oh, that's just what happens if I get worked up," I shrugged it off with a laugh. "Anyways, sorry about that. I'll be sure to give you a new set of flowers tomorrow."

"Thank you. I think I can rest easier now," she sighed.

"Good to hear," I waved as I headed home. "Hurry up and go to heaven already, little girl."

My name is Rukia Kurosaki. I'm a fifteen year old high school freshmen. Life can be tough when you've been able to see ghosts since you were a kid, but I manage. My father and sisters run a clinic here in Karakura Town, so maybe the fact that I can see spirits is karma for not helping out.

"I'm home-" I sighed as I entered, the night sky now sprinkled with stellar lights.

"You!" father stood at the doorway already as I leered in shock. "What time is it, young lady!" he asked with a face that made my insides turn to mush.

"Um…It's just passed eight…" I gulped.

"It's 8:30 in the evening, Rukia! You know that dinner is at seven sharp every night! What could have been more important than spending family time together like we always do?? HMM?!"

"Uh…Well…" I began to sweat bullets. "There were these flowers left for this ghost girl and-"

"No excuses!" father thundered, more of my insides gaining the consistency of cold oatmeal. "You're late, Rukia! For that, you're grounded from watching any television or going places with your friends until next year!"

I could feel the color leave my face a pale shade.

"Oh, cut it out already, Dad," Karin sighed from the kitchen. "It's not like she was out kissin' guys or something like that."

"Karin!" Yuzu gasped, her face pink in embarrassment. "You shouldn't say such things!"

"What?" she asked her twin. "You and I both know Ruki-nee doesn't do that stuff anyways, right?" she looked back at me casually.

"Y-Yeah…" I gulped as Father still gave me a menacing glare.

"That doesn't matter!" he folded his arms across his barrel chest. "You were out late and you didn't even bother to let us know ahead of time anyways!"

I held up my cellphone with the outgoing calls screen on.

_78 calls to 'Father' between 5pm and 8pm._

"Well?" I gave a scowl.

"Well I didn't' get them!" my obnoxious parent humphed as his excuse.

"Yeah," Karin groaned as she took out his phone from his pocket. "Because you haven't charged it in the past three days. Look, it's dead."

"Um…Well, she could have called the house then!" he tried to weasel his way out of it still.

"But she did call, Daddy," Yuzu announced as she checked out caller ID unit. "The phone seems to have been put on silent for some reason…"

"Also irrelevant!" Father stormed to the phone and threw it in the trash. "There! Now you have to come home early no matter-"

"BAKA!" I slammed my foot to his stubbly jaw, sending my father to the floor with a mighty flop.

"Nee-chan!" Yuzu gasped as she cradled our now unconscious father. "That was going too far…I think you knocked a tooth out this time…" she looked in his mouth. Thankfully, nothing was bleeding and no teeth were dislodged.

"Here, Ruki-nee," Karin led me to the table to eat. "Your stuff's a little cold, but it's still good," she gave a placid smile as we sat together to eat. Eventually our sister returned after giving up on Father. What a dummy…

"So, how were your days?" I asked my sisters, adjusting to family-mode as we talked together.

"Not bad," my raven-haired sister sighed. "The guys won't listen to what I hafta say for our game-strategies. Sheesh, it's like they've never even played soccer before…" she groaned.

"Well, maybe a gentle nudge in the ribs wouldn't hurt," I gave a satisfied smile.

"Tried that," she sighed. "It didn't work, so I nudged them harder…And then a little harder…And so now they're always on the defensive."

"Sheesh…Looks like you're turning out fine…Already beating up guys now, huh?" I gave a sarcastic yet displeased smile. "Just promise me you'll restrain yourself more. We don't need two me's in this household…"

"Ruki-nee," Karin gave me an evil grin. "I don't think I could ever be as cruel as you."

"How am I cruel??" I narrowed my eyes at that comment.

"Karin!" Yuzu protested. "Don't be so mean to our big sister. She's not cruel…Well…Maybe a little violent…But not cruel," she puffed her cheeks.

"Right, right," her twin chuckled. "By the way, Ruki-nee," she turned her attention to the wall next to the kitchen. "When are we gonna talk to Dad about taking down that ridiculous picture of Mom…?"

Our mother died when I was in elementary school. It hit all of us hard, Father probably the worst. Why else would he have a big picture of our dearly departed mother with the phrase "Hisana Forever!" in movie poster-esque writing hanging on the wall?

"Maybe when he's in a better mood…" I gulped as I looked at our would-be patriarch, still on the floor and out cold. "Sheesh, tomorrow I'm not gonna hear the end of it from him…"

"You could be a little nicer to Daddy…" Yuzu suggested. "Knocking him out isn't exactly a good display of emotion from a daughter to her father. He's not a bad person, after all…"

"Oh Yuzu…" I smiled with a nostalgic sigh. "I envy how innocent you are with your naivety."

"Thanks…I think…Anyways, back to the original topic," she ate some more. "My day was okay too. We're doing book-reports next week."

"Ah, good to hear," I smiled back. "What story are you reading?"

"Journey to the East," she beamed. "It's kinda funny; Son Goku is kinda like you in some ways," Yuzu gave a little giggle.

"The resemblance is striking, now that you mention it…" Karin grinned while looking at me with intensity. "Put a ring on her head and she'd look just like him."

"Sheesh, you two are the worst," I guffawed. "Well, if I'm the monkey, you're the water, Karin."

"Fine by me," we both laughed as we looked at Yuzu. "And Yuzu, you're-"

"-But I don't want to be a pig…" she pouted.

"No no," I corrected her. "You're Sanzo Gouji. Father is the pig."

We all broke into a great laughter as we enjoyed our time together. After splitting up to do our things (Yuzu the kitchen and Karin to her room), I went to my room to get some homework done as I sat at my desk diligently.

Ever had the feeling you're being watched?

Looking over to my side, I was confronted with the image of what looked like a samurai in black!

"Hm…It's close…" he mused aloud as if I wasn't there.

"Gah! Wh-Who are you??" I fell back in my seat.

"Huh?" the tall boy blinked at me. He was lanky, and his head was covered in messy orange hair. "Wait, you can see me?" he asked with a confused look.

"Karin! Yuzu! Call the police! There's a burglar!!" I screamed as I lunged at the burglar. A quick kick to the groin knocked him to the ground with a painful grunt.

"Wh-Wh-What was…Hsssss…THAT for…?!" he coughed.

"Pervert!" I pointed at him angrily.

"What?!"

"I know what you are!"

"You do…?" he gritted his teeth in pain.

"Yes! You're a panty-thief! You came into the house to steal my undies!" I jumped onto him and pulled his arm around his back. Flailing, he tried to move, but I got his head pulled up from my feet clamping around his throat as I pulled his arm back.

"You…! You…Got it…Wrong!" he grunted as I saw his face grow redder by the second from the strain.

"The hell I do!" I frowned as I pulled harder.

"Rukia!" Father stormed in. Thank goodness he was conscious again. "I heard you scream! What hap- Um…." He blinked as he looked at me.

"Don't just stand there, Father! Help me restrain this pervert!" I demanded as I continued to hold the orange-haired fiend down.

"Pervert…?" his eyebrows quirked. "Um…Rukia…You aren't on any drugs right…?" he asked with fear in his eyes.

"What? Of course not! What's wrong?" I leered a bit.

"He…can't see me….!" The samurai pervert grunted.

"Say what now?" I loosened my grip on him.

"Rukia, I know you liked playing pretend as a kid," Father kneeled and patted my shoulder. "But you have to grow up some time…Look, you're 15 now, stop with this childish nonsense…! Unless….Oh NO! you really are on drugs! Well don't worry! Daddy's gonna put you on a detox lock-down!" he stood and folded his arms triumphantly.

"Idiot!" I elbowed his stomach and send him off the second floor to the living room…to once again get clocked out. "Sheesh…And you!" I turned back to the kimono-clad weirdo. "What's this about him not seeing you!?"

"Just like I said…" he got up on his legs and coughed for a moment. "Normal people can't see me…Ow…!" he rubbed his crotch. "Couldn't you have gotten me in the gut or the face…Cripes it hurts…"

"You didn't answer my question!" I fumed as I stomped his foot and then kneed him to the face. With a mighty plop, he fell to the floor.

"GAH!" he grunted. "Aren't girls supposed to be dainty and stuff!?"

"This is the 21st Century!" I stomped his back. "Girls can be just as tough and tougher as boys. Now tell me what the hell is going on here!"

"Okay okay! Stop with the kicking!" he pleaded, so I abided by his request. He sat up and gave me a serious expression. "My name is Ichigo Kuchiki. I'm a Shinigami."

"Shini..gami…?" I blinked. "Like, a god of death? You look like some punk teenager boy to me…" I then saw his sheathed sword, my eyes bulging in fright. He could chop me to pieces!

"Don't worry," he grinned, patting his weapon. "My zanpakuto is only for Wholes and Hollows. We're not allowed to hurt people, and even still, I don't want to hurt anyone anyways."

"Zan...pakuto?" I blinked again.

"Right, just like the name implies, it's for cutting souls. More specifically, Hollows," he nodded.

"And a Hollow is…?" I asked with a perturbed expression.

"Ugh…Okay, it's like this," he took a sketch pad out from his kimono and scribbled down two drawings. The first was of a man in glasses with a spirit-body, like a form that tapered from the chest down. "This is a Whole. They're what you would call a good spirit. They're actually souls of dead people who haven't passed on yet."

"Like that girl…!" I gasped.

"Right, apparently you can see them, so you know that much is true," the Ichigo guy nodded as he pointed to a second picture. This time, it was a big monster with a skull face. "And this is a Hollow. Hollows are evil spirits in a way. They're what normal spirits become if they're overcome with sorrow or rage. We shinigami have two roles here in the real world: destroy Hollows and protect Wholes by helping them pass on…" he paused. "Like so!" he unsheathed his katana and slammed the hilt to the forehead of a spirit that suddenly appeared in my room. I recognized him just barely. I'd seen the spirit of an middle aged man floating around my street. I didn't think he'd come into my house!

"N-No! Wait!" he panicked as the hilt was removed, revealing a symbol on his head. "I don't want to go to Hell!" he whimpered as he began to glow.

"Don't worry…" Ichigo sighed. "You're going to Soul Society. It's nothing like hell. It's full of people like you who live normal lives. It's a peaceful place." The way this so-called shinigami smiled…I could see that he wasn't just some stalking death god. It was apparent he cared about the well-being of good spirits. Before my eyes, I could see the spirit of the man dissipate into a fading azure-white glow, then he was gone.

"So…That's what a spirit passing on looks like?" I gulped at what I had witnessed.

"Yeah. That's a Soul Burial," the death god grinned. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have to find the Hollow I've been tracking…" He sighed. "I could sense it just a second ago, but it's like I lost all of its presence the moment I got here…" he rubbed his chin just as an ear-splitting roar echoed throughout the house. I could feel my neck hairs on end at that horrible bellow, turning back to the boy.

"D-Did you hear that?!" I gulped, but all he did was look at me with a confused expression.

"Hear what?" he blinked.

"That roar! Do Hollow-whatzits sound like that?!"

"What roar?!" he scowled back. "I didn't hear any-"

The growl echoed again, this time even closer.

"Shit!" Ichigo's eyes widened. "How come I didn't hear it before!?" he then dashed out my door, only to freeze for some reason, I could see his body tremble as he began to sweat. "This…This reiatsu…Where did it come from all of the sudden…?" he gulped.

"What?" I blinked at his bizarre behavior, only to snap back to reality as I heard a familiar scream. "Karin!" I gasped as I shoved the redhead to the side and see where my sister was. Leaning against the stairs, a stain of blood at her shoulder and where the wall touched, my raven-haired sibling panted, looking up at me with an uneasy smile as she bled.

"Ruki-…nee…Good, it didn't…Hrrrk!...Come this way…" she coughed after falling to the floor, the wall marred by her bloodstain.

"Karin!" I screamed as I leapt to her side and held her in my arms, crying. Why?! What just happened?!

"Ruki-nee…" she panted as she looked up at me with glassy eyes that rang with the pain she was feeling. "It…It was big…I couldn't see it…clearly…It made Dad bleed from behind…and then attacked me…and Yuzu…Please…G-get out before-" she then slumped in my arms.

"KARIN!" I shrieked again as I held her close to me. My family…My only family…How could this have happened??

"Don't worry, she's just unconscious," I heard the boy's voice from up the stairs.

"Don't worry?!" I gave him the most malevolent stare I could ever muster. "My sister's bleeding badly, my family was mauled by something big, and you're asking me NOT to worry?!" I fumed.

"I can still sense their spiritual presences. They won't die. Just tend to them for now and I'll take care of the Hollow," he replied with a stern expression as he rushed downstairs.

"Wait!" I yelled before gently laying my sister to the floor and following him. When I made it to the war-torn living room, I almost threw up at the sight before me…Father was strewn across the floor, like a ragdoll thrown by a giant, his entire back a deep crimson as his breathing was too low for me to hear. "No…! Father!" I gasped as tears bled from my eyes. I rushed to his side, feeling him for a pulse. It was so irregular, it was almost as if he had no life left!

"Dammit!" I panted, my growing terror and disgust eating away at my insides. I was kicking him around and yelling back at him…He probably thought I hated him! I threw up slightly from the thought of losing my father, never being able to apologize for being so reckless and disobedient, even if he was draconic in his house rules.

"I told you to stay back!" Ichigo growled from the kitchen…or rather, where the kitchen had been not too long ago. Now, silhouetted by the moonlight outside from the open wall was a monstrous form, its cold and heartless eyes piercing just by looking into them, as if I were staring into the gaze of a devil, making my legs shake at its sheer terribleness.

"Th-That's a Hollow…?" I gulped. My fear tore into me harder as I saw a small form in its behemoth grip. "No….!" I felt the blood leave my face. "YUZU!" I screamed, my adrenaline on high voltage now as I ran towards the beast, grabbing a kitchen knife and hurling my minute form against this abomination, a deathly war-cry issuing from my burning lungs.

A might thud to my body sent me back into the house and slamming against the wall, my vision refocusing to realize that I didn't even manage to make a cut into the beast! Even more frightening…the knife had shattered to the hilt from the impact of the monster!

Its stare never wavered from my direction, its hulking form lurching its way into my home as it neared me, dropping my sister on the floor (thankfully not on any debris), reaching at my trembling form-

A blood-splattering followed by a snarl of pain surprised me as I looked up to see Ichigo's sword embedded into aberration's sinew.

"Run, dammit!" the redhead commanded as I sat on the floor in shock. Reeling in pain, the monstrosity hurtled outside my home as it cradled its maculated and lacerated flesh with a gloomy and haunting howl of torment.

"Why…?" I coughed, my voice trembling in fright and sorrow. I could see my family all bleeding and unconscious. "Why is this happening…?" I sniffled.

"Hollows eat human souls to sate their hunger," Ichigo looked back at me, his face devoid of sympathy yet was not fully apathetic. "They're attracted to people with powerful or at least high reiatsu, so they'll attack other humans randomly until they find that person they're looking for. My guess…" he sighed. "Is that the Hollow sensed you and attacked your family trying to find out which of you had the high spirit powers."

My pulse froze at his words.

"M-Me…?" I gasped in horror. "Father…Yuzu…Karin…They're all bleeding to death…because of me?" I gulped as I could feel another heave of bile.

"No, that's not what I meant-" he tried to explain, only to have a gargantuan arm lunge back inside and grab him, throwing the shinigami against a neighboring home with a might crash.

"Shinigami!" I called in fright as I followed him to the crator he had made in the other home's outside wall. "Shinigami! Are you alright!?" I pleaded as I tried to help him up. The area surrounding us became pitch black from the massive shadow over us that the Hollow created, its great fish-like jaws dripping with its putrid saliva. All of this…It really was my fault…

"Wh-What are you doing!?" the boy coughed as I left him and blockaded the monster's path.

"Hey, fish-face!" I said sternly. Its scowl showed it didn't like what I had to say about its complexion. "You want my soul? Take it! Just leave everyone else alone!"

Fifteen, and ready to die already? Sheesh, how did life get so fucked up? There was so much I wanted to do still, like a rematch with Tatsuki, thanking Yasutora for being there for me all the time, and seeing the fireworks with Orihime and everyone for this year's summer festival…

"Such a shame…" I felt one last tear stream down my eyes as I awaited my death. Rather than a painful clamping around my petite form, a warm splattering of blood hit my body instead. My eyes jerked open to see Ichigo had allowed the monster to attack him instead!

Annoyed at missing its chance to taste me, the Hollow wobbled back, spitting the boy's (apparently) foul taste out for the time being.

"Why-" I gasped as the death god fell to his shaking knees.

"You IDIOT!" he coughed as a splash of blood left his lips. "What the hell…Were you thinking…?" His look towards me made my insides twist painfully. "Did you honestly think…You could reason with this…Ack!...Thing? It wouldn't stop with you…or me…or your family…!" Our attention turned to the beast as it finally got Ichigo's bad flavor dealt with, its mouth gaping open with anticipation of a fine meal. "Shit! Look, human girl!" I looked back at the shinigami as he raised his sword towards me. "Do you want to save your family still?" he glared as blood continued to well from his mouth.

"Y-Yes!" I breathed sharply.

"Then stab yourself with my zanpakuto," he commanded. "It's not a hundred percent for sure, but it should give you half my power as a shinigami…That way you can fight this thing on even terms…it's that…or we all end up as food…"

Without hesitation, I pulled his blade to me, a brief searing pain of white-hot intensity engulfing me as my world became a bleak void of white. When reality returned, I felt….power. I stood there before the monster heading my way, my body light and yet stronger than I ever thought possible as I clutched my massive blade tightly.

"You…!" I growled as I flew, yes, FLEW at the abomination that had given me such hell, tears accompanying my battle-cry as I amputated its hulking limb in one simple stroke, like a stick through air! With an inhuman roar, the Hollow fell over seething in pain, gasping in shock as I turned my deathglare back at it. "I hope you go to hell for this!" I snarled as I dealt the finishing blow to its skull, shattering the body to nothing as it dissipated.

"H-Holy shit…!" I heard a gasp of shock behind me as I tried my damnedest to sheath this giant blade as big as I was! "You…Your reiatsu…It took all my shinigami powers!" Ichigo gawked.

"Huh?" I blinked as I looked at myself. Yeah, I was wearing that unstylish black kimono and hakama outfit, and had the big-honking sword…but I had ALL his powers?? "Say, Itsuko-"

"It's ICHIGO!" he barked back.

"Hey! Don't yell at me! I just saved our lives and-" I paused. "Gah! We have to save my family now! Hurry, we need to…Huh?" I panicked as I tried to drag the fallen Shinigami from his seat on the ground. Slowly he wobbled up to his legs, his body now in an off-white yukata.

"They'll be fine. Leave that to me….Ouch…" he winced as I heard something crack as he stretched. "Sheesh, I feel so weak now…Well, I'll be back to normal once you get back into your body…"

"My body?" I blinked as I looked over to where I transformed, spotting my still high school uniform-clad body on the ground. "Aaaahhh! I'm dead! Bring me back to life!" I shook the boy by his collar.

"Pipe down!" he thumped my head….hard. "Sheesh, so noisy…Look, just settle into your body and get into your home. Tuck everyone into bed and leave the rest to me. I'll handle damage control and their memories."

"Memories?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I have a device that'll make false ones for them to think this was a run-of-the-mill accident and not a Hollow Attack. Their injuries should be no problem anyways, but I'll fix all of that and get rid of the blood when I get back. I need to pick up some stuff."

"Our home is a clinic. We have first aid stuff, you know," I glared at him impatiently.

"This isn't normal first aid, uh…." He blinked at me. "I never did catch your name, girl…"

"It's Rukia," I smiled. "Rukia Kurosaki, Itsuko."

"That's ICHIGO….Ichigo Kuchiki, but it's a start…" he sighed as he presented his hand. Taking it, I began my complex and arduous journey into the world of Shinigami and Hollows.

The Beginning…

Author's Notes:

Well, whatcha think? Not a bad spin on things, if I do say so myself! More to come, skipping ahead to the Seireitei Arc next chapter with a certain Quincy and his encounter with the captain of the 12th Division. Expect thrills, chills, blood, violence, stuff going kaboom, and…-gasp-…A shinigami hell-bent on bedding our dear friend Uryuu! Lol. See you all next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:

Disclaimer:

I do not own the rights to Bleach and all its related themes, characters, and plots. Tite Kubo does and NOT me. I also don't own the rights to the detergent product Clorox. I just couldn't think of a better title for this idea.

Author's Notes:

I have no idea what Nemu's real shikai or (if possible) bankai are like. The ones shown are my own idea.

Running. That's all we've been doing since we got here in Seireitei. Inoue and I were lucky enough to land in the same vicinity when we broke through the seki-seki stone's barrier, and already I've had to save her from a Shinigami.

Oh, where are my manners?

My name is Uryuu Ishida: last of the Quincies. But formalities can wait for another time…

"I see, so Tsubaki is still injured?" I asked while we ran in the cover of night. Clad in the garish attire of two Shinigami we incapacitated, we both felt we had a better chance of not being noticed while still in plain sight now.

"Yeah…" Inoue sighed. "I spent several hours last night trying to heal him…But it's taking longer than I thought." Poor girl, she did her best to fend off that boisterous fool that tried to kill us not too long ago. "Sorry I'm so useless…" she moped as we continued our trek through the maze of Seireitei. I was a bit taken back by her apology, though.

"What are you saying, Inoue?" I frowned at her as we ran. "You still have your healing and shielding abilities," I reminded her with a brief smile. "Those are still very important skills, too."

"Thanks," she managed to cheer up. Still, this was a mixed blessing. Though she could only heal and defend, it meant she wouldn't be directly attacked, which left finishing off an opponent to me. But, should the opponent be merciless or opportunistic, she'd be easy pickings if they managed to avoid my attacks. Seeing her in Shinigami attire reminded me just how out of place Inoue was in this mission. Healing and defense aside, she shouldn't be in combat at all; she was obviously not the kind of person who could withstand its effects on one's conscience. The sooner we rescued Ichigo Kuchiki, the sooner Inoue would be out of harm's way.

"Hold it right there, you two!" the two of us froze from a loud and slurred voice commanding us to halt.

"Stay calm," I whispered to my traveling companion as we both turned around to see an older man at a corridor we just passed, his rigid and hairy face a slight pink hue as he slurped the last of his drinking bag. Great, a drunk Shinigami, two things I never wanted to see combined…

"What division are you two from?" he asked with a burp.

Inoue and I both acting casual, replying,

"We're from the 11th Division."

"Oh?" the drunken oaf came our way, his eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "That's funny, 'cuz I'm in the 11th Division too...But I had no idea we had idiots who'd go without their zanpakuto when we're the battle-oriented division."

We both gasped quietly. Shit, I hadn't counted on the Soul Society's divisions all being specialized!

Fighting back wasn't an option, lest we blow our cover, so I could only watch with my nerves on edge while the drunken Shinigami pulled at Inoue's kimono, revealing a patch underneath the fabric. Mine was the same pendant-type design. Was this a way for divisions to tell each other apart?

"Hm…? You're from the 12th Division? What the hell's going on?" he growled. "You don't know anything about how things are here…Who the fuck are you two?" the drunk then glared at us as he reached for his sword.

I prepared to arm my bow and silence him at close range, but before I could even summon it, the lumbering oaf coughed as he collapsed with a thud before us. Behind him were four Shinigami our age-range, all frowning at the fool they knocked out.

"Sheesh, attacking an ally!" one of them spat at our attacker. "And you call yourself a member of the Gotei 13?"

"Can't be helped," another one held his nose. "The guy's drunk as a skunk. Phew! He smells like a dead animal."

"Hey, sorry about that," one of them patted Inoue on her shoulder. "We 12th Division personnel need to watch out for one another. Those 11th Division bastards think they can do whatever they want just because they're the first to go into battle."

"Here, let's head on back to headquarters," the first one motioned for us. This was odd…They heard that 11th Division soldier's words. Drunk or not, what he said made sense…So then…Why were these other Shinigami helping us…?

Then I realized it.

"Inoue!" I called to her as I sped to the group, only to have a searing explosion of heat bombard my back as I tried to shield her. All I felt was an intense heating of the air, my skin beyond warm as it was drenched in sweat. I could sense the power of the Santen Kesshun behind me when I heard the other Shinigami screaming in terror as they ran.

"Lieutenant Kurotsuchi! This isn't what you told us would happen!" I heard them shriek as another one of them combusted, blood and sinew splattering as it was singed on a nearby wall.

Another few flashes and the last of the Shinigami were decimated.

"What the hell?" I turned back to look, only to see smoke and fading flames.

"Damn," I heard a rather malicious voice not too far from where the last explosions occurred. "Those no-name grunts were useless after all," he groaned.

"Ishida…" I turned back to see Inoue sniffling. "Are they…?"

"I'm sorry, Inoue," I patted her shoulder, only to have her latch onto me to sob into my chest for a moment.

"Why….?" She let go as she turned to see the keeper of the cruel and devious voice now just a few meters away from us. His attire was normal for a Shinigami, though he sported an arm-patch on his left shoulder with the same symbol as the one on our kimonos. His appearance…it was frightening.

His skin was unnaturally whiter than my own Quincy outfit, his face a black circle between his eyes and covering the middle of his face. Upon his (seemingly) bald head was silver and crimson helm with two metal horns at the top, reminiscent of a samurai warrior's helmet. Between his legs hung his zanpakuto, as if it was the finishing touch to his eerie appearance.

"My my my…" he grinned with his inhumanly perfect teeth. "That shield, is that your doing, young lady?"

Gulping, Inoue scowled at him. "Why did you kill them…?" she asked with her voice trembling not in fear but in sorrow. "They were your friends!"

"Friends?" the demonic Shinigami blinked, as if he never heard of the word. "Those were all a bunch of low-level, unranked, cannon-fodder troops. No skills, no abilities beyond the basics. Expendable!" he guffawed. "But, you my dear are worthy of my attention…That shield of yours is quite interesting…"

"Inoue, get behind me," I warned my ally as she reluctantly went to the dazed and awake 11th Division troop, her sniffs of remorse still audible. Poor girl…She really isn't cut out for this…

"How about this?" the strange man before us continued to grin as he spoke. "Become my test subject! I'll give you the best treatment ever! You'll only be drugged eight times a day, be able to eat with your mouth, and sleep in a bed with sheets and clothes! Not enough? I'll do machine operations on you for only 4 hours a day! I won't even perform life-threatening operations! How about it? I've never given ANY of my test subjects this much freedom!"

This person…No…this MONSTER…He was slime. Using human lives as he saw fit…The epitome of science gone wrong…

With a quick charging of my reiatsu, I sped to behind this babbling crook, my bow stretched and aimed at him intently.

"Hm?" he noticed me easily. "Not too shabby…Quincy. Your kind is indeed rare…But, I'm finished studying your breed."

"Finished studying?" I narrowed my eyes. "What'a that supposed to mean? And who are you?"

"Hmph! Just like a bunch of thugs," the beast turned to me with a scowl in his abnomormal amber eyes. "You ryoka don't even know who you're up against, do you?" With an overwhelming crash of reiatsu hitting me, I found that I underestimated my opponent…severely. "I am the second-generation president of the Research and Development Institute of Technology! Lieutenant Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Divioin!"

Lieutenant? So he was second-ranked to a captain…This wasn't good. As strong as I had become with my training, even this Shinigami presented a formidable challenge if not a daunting task to defeat with such a high spirit power. Looking back, I could see that the 11th Division man was sneaking off, which prompted me to rush a plan.

"You! 11th Division guy!" I barked at him as he nervously looked back at me. "Take Inoue and get the hell away from here to someplace safe!"

"Wh-What!?" he began to grow pale. "Why do I hafta-!"

"Do it or I'll kill you!" I glared back at him. I didn't want to trust a Shinigami, but at least I knew he wouldn't hurt Inoue like this lieutenant would. In a flash, her grabbed my traveling partner and sped off, Inoue kicking and screaming in retaliation. She really wanted to help…Well, she'd understand later.

"Who gave you permission to leave!?" the lieutenant growled as his left arm exploded and fired out on a serpentine cord with the hand at the end of it. With equal lightning speed, I cut the cable with a swift arrow, severing the lower limb and securing the two's escape.

"Who gave you permission to capture them?" I charged another shot and aimed it back at the hellish Shinigami.

"Tch!" he flinched. "So much for that," he then pinched where his arm ended and the cord sprouted, wincing as he gritted his teeth. "Haven't…Nnngh!...Had a problem with this since training…!" he grunted as he severed his entire retractable arm component, fresh scarlet splattering from the amputation. How? How could he just cut off his own arm?

Breathing heavily, he reached into his kimono with his only hand, pulling out a syringe packet and sticking it into his bloody stub of an arm.

"This….Is going to hurt….!" He hissed as he injected himself, a bulging of flesh and a cracking of forming bones twisting and contorting into a regenerated arm, as if it never even had a scratch! "Oh my," Lieutenant Kurotsuchi laughed insidiously as I returned to aiming at him. "You must think you've lost your mind, right?"

"I'm just a little surprised you have such a thing," I huffed back.

"Oh, this little thing?" he waved the syringe packet. "This is nothing compared to the endless supplies I carry in my lab," he then sighed. "It seems as though that strange girl has gotten away. No matter," he shrugged with a grand and disturbing grin. "If she even left a mere strand of hair, I will find her even if she's on the other side of Seireitei! Oooh, to think of all the new technology and knowledge I'll gain from finding out about that shield of hers! It pains me that I have to be so patient and wait a bit longer, but no matter still…This fight will be short, Quincy!" he then drew his zanpakuto. "I'll make sure to preserve your remains so I can perhaps do some minor tinkering with your parts on a rainy day. I could really use another set of Quincy frontal lobes to examine properly one last time…"

"Frontal lobes…?" I gulped. He…He operated on other Quincies?!

"Yes, though your kind's hypothalamus is always a treat to experiment with too…" he continued his sickening grin. "What's wrong, Quincy?"

"You…You experimented on Quincies like they were lab rats!" I growled as I fired my first arrow, aiming for his despicable face.

A flash of light and steel showed that not only had he blocked the arrow…this monster had cut it down the center and split it in half!

"Oh please!" he laughed. "You think a young little prick like you could defeat me, much less in one shot? How arrogant of you! I told you already who I am!" he then charged me with Shunpo, managing to only knick my right arm laterally as I barely evaded his attack. Continuing my technique, I circled around the lieutenant and fired at his back with two shots this time, only to have him disappear just before the arrows hit.

"Shit! Where-?" I blinked as I realized where he was, ducking as I heard the air above me separate from his slash. A quick dash gave me distance from him to at least be able to evade a direct attack better.

"Hirenkyaku: the Quincy equivalent to Shunpo, am I correct?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi smiled devilishly. "It's supposed to be a high level ability. I'm quite surprised a whippersnapper like you has mastered it so well. But, you still aren't that interesting beyond that. And though finding that girl will be inevitable, I can't just sit around and waste my time with you, Quincy…." He sighed to himself as he took a sharp breath. "Pillage, Ashisogi Jizou!" he commanded as his sword reformed to an eerie mantle of a fetal caricature with three flame-like blades.

Next to Rukia Kurosaki and that Kamaitachi, this was the only time I had seen the release of a zanpakuto. Unfortunately, I had no idea what its ability was. If I attacked, it might be used against me. I needed time to properly assess what it could do.

"Oh? Is this not the only time you've seen a shikai?" the lieutenant grinned. "Let me assure you that my zanpakuto isn't to be taken lightly!" he then charged at me with full speed, my bow barely able to counter the attack. It was too close still! I could smell his wretched breath as his Shunpo propelled the two of us forward as he eventually pinned me against a wall, one of the blades pressing dangerously against my shoulder. With one last push, it tore through my disguise and the tip sunk into my upper arm.

A searing pain burned as I felt like I was being injected with poison, my arm losing its strength as it went limp while I yelled in pain.

"Ha!" the fiend guffawed as he drew back and stared me down. "How's it feel, Quincy?" Kurotsuchi hissed. "You may have given a yelp, but you seem unusually calm despite having a blade stab through your flesh like that. Tell me, is this not the first time you've been wounded by a blade either?"

"It's…My second time…" I sneered. "And don't think I'm through with you yet," I tried to stand up, only to fall to my left side where the wound was! "Gah! Did…Did you sever my tendons…!?" I panted.

"I told you!" my enemy kicked me at my left side, lifting me back up. "Don't take my zanpakuto lightly! Ashisogi Jizou's ability is to sever neural connections between the brain and muscles. In other words…" he licked his lips villainously as he quickly stabbed my lower left arm! With a horrible scream, I could feel my flesh tear as he sawed up my arm, stopping just a few centimeters up to my elbo.

"You….Kaaaaahh!...Monster…!" I coughed as I gritted my teeth.

"Monster? Ha!" he laughed. "You think your words will have any affect on me?"

"No," a female voice responded from behind, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's eyes bulging as sweat collected at his brows. "But perhaps _mine_ can dissuade you, Mayuri-sama," she then appeared from behind my attacker. She was young, about my age, I gathered. Her white haori seemed to be the only thing that kept her form truly covered. Her skirt was shamelessly short, revealing much of her pale and long legs, and her kimono top left little to my imagination about her chest beyond what would still be legal to wear in public back in the real world. Her face was calm and her features soft and delicate. Her raven hair was braided in the back and kept short in the front.

"N-Nemu…!" the lieutenant gulped.

"My my," the girl blinked at me. "Such valuable research material and here you are carving him like a pheasant…whatever am I going to do with you, Mayuri-sama?" she sighed with an impish grin to my enemy.

"S-Stay out of this!" he roared as he attempted to attack her, only to have her utilize a Shunpo far superior to his own as she took his own sword and stabbed through him! Mayuri Kurotsuchi exploded as his form became an aqua slime that splattered to the ground, seeping to some unknown location slowly.

-Damn you, Nemu! I won't forgive you for this, you overzealous brat!- his voice echoed from the substance as it disappeared beyond the walls.

"Really…So uncivilized…" this Nemu girl sighed. "But, it can't be helped, I suppose," she smiled quietly as she bent down to my level. "Oh my, he really got you good there…" she awed as she took out a syringe packet like the one before.

"W-Wait!" I huffed in pain and fright. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Hm?" Nemu blinked at me. "You're more concerned about who I am than your own health? If I don't heal these wounds, you could bleed to death, Quincy," she replied as she stabbed my arm with the packet. I choked out a cough of pain from my flesh rehealing and connecting back to its proper form. "Now, drink this," she presented a flask to me.

"What…is it?" I gulped. "And you never did answer my question before."

"Goodness, stubborn to the end," she sighed. "You really are a Quincy. My name is Nemu Kurotsuchi, captain of the 12th Division."

My heart sank. A captain! Maybe with the lieutenant I might have stood a chance, but I remembered what Yoruichi said…We were not to engage in a fight with a captain…But…she was helping me, it seemed. I was her enemy, so why was she showing the mercy her subordinate was devoid of?

"You seem confused," the young woman smiled reassuringly. " 'Why would a Shinigami captain help a ryoka?' is what you're thinking, right?"

"That, and why would a Shinigami help a Quincy…" I added.

"Ah, yes," she nodded. "Well, for the first question, I'm only helping you to a point. I do intend to fight you, but attacking you as you are now would put me on the same level as Mayuri-sama. As for the second question, I want to test your skills as a Quincy."

"So…You want to experiment on me then?" I narrowed my eyes.

"In a matter of speaking, yes," she nodded.

"And what if I refuse? I have pride as a Quincy, after all."

"I thought you might say that," she smiled back as she dove her flattened hand at my throat, stopping in mid flight at just a millimeter above my skin. She was even faster than her lieutenant! "So, let me say that your other option is to die and let me apprehend your female friend, and lend her to Mayuri-sama to experiment on."

"That's…That's blackmail," I growled back.

"If I leave her be, she'll be safe somewhere with that man from the 11th Division for the time being…" she continued as she withdrew her hand. "However, I can't pass up an opportunity to face what may be the last Quincy left in existence," she smiled joyously. "Not to mention the untapped opportunity you present for an experiment I've only been able to fantasize doing one day."

"Fantasize?" I blinked as I tore off my kimono's cloth into strips, wrapping my arm tightly. "You seem nice, but I get the feeling you're more malign than your lieutenant…" I grunted with the final wrapping as my arm was bound from the lower shoulder to the fingers. With a sigh, I concentrated my reiatsu and tied the reishi to the cloth.

"My goodness!" Nemu Kurotsuchi gasped as she backed away from the gathering aura that was my power. "Is this…Ransoutengai?" she smiled happily. Woman or not, she still saw me as nothing more than a guinea pig. And even if she was a captain, I'd make her realize I wasn't to be taken lightly as some research subject.

"Tell me…" I glared as my arm finally could move. "Did you ever see an old Quincy come to Soul Society?"

"Not personally," the girl shook her head. "But the last Quincy Mayuri-sama examined fit that description."

"I see…And you just let your assistant torture him in god-forsaken ways?"

She blinked at my words, bowing her head. I could feel my blood boil. Sensei…I'd avenge you!

"Yes. And he is no longer alive, I am afraid to say," Nemu then looked back at me with a somber expression. "Judging by the way your reiatsu just spiked at my words, I assume he was someone important to you, perhaps a relative? Well, nonetheless, if it's retribution you seek," she then drew her short zanpakuto, her own spiritual presence finally making its presence known as I was hammered with fierce aura. "Then you may seek it with me. I will take responsibility for Mayuri-sama's sins as they are my sins too. Redeem yourself, Fumenmoku!" she cried as she hit her blade to the ground, a loud steel vibration echoing as the wakizashi blade doubled, the dull sides of the blades on the outside as the two sword lengths stood straight and parallel, like two towers or prongs on a fork.

I didn't care to check her sword's ability as I summoned my bow and fired a torrent of arrows at her. She was serious if she was unleashing her zanpakuto's true form. She wanted this fight more than ever now. It was a good thing Inoue wasn't here, I'd cringe to think what she would think of me for attacking a woman.

With the dong of a great church bell, the female captain absorbed each attack with her zanpakuto, the air ringing with an eerie resonance. I had to make a shot hit her!

"You have much potential for a mere adolescent!" she smiled as she never broke her stance, deflecting each and every shot I made at her. Her Shunpo was being used to move her own limbs in superhuman speeds just as my own Quincy abilities were firing arrow after arrow. I needed to make two shots at the same speed hit two separate areas of her at the same time!

"Forgive me," I sighed as I sped the particles on my very feet to circle her, prepared to dodge any attacks she may unleash…But she never budged beyond facing me at each turn. Then it happened, I found my opening and fired as many of my bolts of spirit energy at my enemy, smiling victoriously as a shot pierced her calf while another hit her shoulder.

"Gah!" she cried in pain as I felt my insides turn from hurting a woman. I'd have to live with this guilt for the rest of my life probably, but I needed to remember that this woman let my grandfather die at the hands of that monster subordinate of hers. As she fell to the ground, cradling her wounded flesh, I prepared one last arrow for her center. For a captain she was easy to beat…Too easy…

"Why did you stop…?" she grunted through her hisses of pain.

"Because I'm not going to hurt a woman any further. I'll simply eradicate your Shinigami powers for good."

"If you really think it will end so soon," she stumbled to her feet, holding her double-bladed weapon at me. "Then you had better be stronger than I anticipated. Otherwise…" My ears cringed at a loud echoing, like smith's hammer hitting an anvil, and the intervals in between each gong increasing with each thundering. Then I realized what it was…

"Crap!" I gasped as I used my Hirenkyaku to escape. A deafening roar gave my head a splitting pain as I felt the ground beneath me rattle and the air reverberate. When I looked back at where I was, I was terrified at what I saw. The very spot I had been standing at…And even the walls behind it for several dozen meters…It had all been pulverized!

"Surprised?" Nemu Kurotsuchi mewed with another impish grin. "This is Fumenmoku's true attack: Shriek of Aberration."

"Fumen…moku? Your zanpakuto's name is 'Disgrace'?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes. Like myself, Fumenmoku is a disgrace. She cannot attack unless attacked, so she is not a very proactive force. Only after others have dared to strike her does she finally let loose her fury. It is rather disgraceful when one can only attack after being assaulted first, rather then taking charge and being the first to strike and thus end the fight quickly. Her disgrace is that she likes to play with her prey."

"I see…So a Shinigami's zanpakuto can have a personality?" Raising my bow, I now had a better understanding of my opponent.

"Yes, for each and every zanpakuto is an extension of a Shinigami's soul, and each and every one is like its wielder."

"And how are you a disgrace?" I quirked an eyebrow as I thought over a strategy.

"Well," she smiled pleasantly. "Should you prove to be a worthy adversary, I will gladly tell you after you defeat me."

She seemed rather calm for someone just wounded by my arrows in two of her appendages. I knew that I could hit her, but her attack was inevitable if she even managed to deflect one shot. So she could only attack if her blades came into contact with my arrows? Was it an absorption of reishi? No, that wouldn't explain the devastating attack...And those sounds…

That was it!

Sound. Her zanpakuto was a tuning fork and used the vibrations of the impacts of attacks, thus turning it into a sonic cannon. But sound was the movement of particles in air, and could be diffused if the vibrations were dampened by a soft material. If I could find a way to wrap my kimono top around her sword, I could buy enough time to fire the finishing blows at her body. The only problem…was that I would only get one chance at this.

"Are you prepared to fight again?" the captain asked excitedly. "And don't hold back either, Quincy," she added with a loving smile. Maybe this was why she considered herself to be a disgrace; she looked forward to battle like it was a carefree game.

"I won't," I replied sternly, unleashing my full-power with Hirenkyaku, charging at her at random positions to throw her guard off. When the time came, I quickly tore my top clothing off and prepared to drape it over her sword when-

Blood splattered as I felt my arm impaled by the two blades that stabbed through the reishi-bound cloth, severing the connections and breaking bones in my upper and lower arms as they were skewered.

"Hm…?" My attacker blinked. "You seem surprised yet again. Did you honestly think I'd stand still twice?" she asked with a rather bored expression, pulling my body using my arm and tossing me to a wall as the blades withdrew, stained by my red tears.

"I suppose…" I grunted, panting as my puppetted arm barely worked now. I needed to retie my cloths.

"Get up," Nemu commanded as she faced me. "Or will I have to use you for my experiment with your head removed?" she asked, her tone lacking any semblance to the anticipating and optimistic voice of before. "I had high hopes for you, Quincy. You are skilled in Ransoutengai and Hirenkyaku at such a young age, a feat few Quincy have ever attained in what I've read. If you have no will to strike a woman, than I will have to force you to have such a will!" she roared with hatred. "Ban…kai!" she then yelled angrily, a torrential gust throwing me and any debris from before outwards as I tumbled and fell on my wounded limb painfully. As I looked over, I could see my enemy was no longer alone. Next to her was a massive beast, a carnosaur it seemed, with glaring eyes of red. Its scaly lips were curled as its mighty jaws glistened with putrid saliva.

"Satsubatsu Fumenmoku!" Nemu also glowered back at me. 'Bloodthirsty Disgrace'…And with this creature being larger than any carnivorous saurian known to science, it was aptly named. "Now, attack me with all you have, or my Bankai will devour you!"

"Very well…" I frowned as I took what was left of my upper clothing and reconnected my spirit-bonds on my arm. Sensei…You told me never to remove the Sanrei Glove…But there was no way I can defeat this captain and live if I didn't do otherwise. Please, forgive me for disobeying you, Sensei…

I pulled my last ace out, breaking the rod on my glove as I felt the gauntlet shatter, an overwhelming surge of power welling from within my form as I felt armor summon itself upon my unclothed upper body, a grand bow materializing in my hand. This power was temporary, and would be gone soon, so I had to make every shot count.

"Aha," Nemu grinned. "So you do have power left. Good, I won't hold back either then." Her beast stepped to the side as I aimed for her, her hand still holding a tuning fork-like weapon similar to the original of its released form. If I could shoot her first, then perhaps this summoned creature of hers would dissipate. Aiming directly for her heart, I took a breath, hoping I could one day forgive myself for killing a woman.

With speeds rivaling light itself, I charged at my target, whom in turn attempted to dodge my attack. She wasn't faster anymore, though, I was already behind her as I let loose the first arrow, hitting her lower spine and leaving an exit wound befitting a cannon ball. Her scream sent shivers up my body at its horrible sound. But rather than fall to the ground, I saw through the hole within her that her blade was at the other end, ringing. She used herself to allow my arrow to hit her blade dead on!

"Not…Bad…Quincy," she coughed copious amounts of blood, as she faced me. I was ready this time as I circled her form and readied the final blow. God have mercy on me…

But before I could administer the next shot, I felt sudden darkening of the area around me, the beast from before attempting to consume me. I was too fast as I quickly evaded, firing a shot near its flank. It hit, but the wound made no difference to its massive size as I could feel my power weakening too soon!

With a blood-curdling roar, the monstrosity fired from its mouth a massive energy of searing heat that enveloped me.

.

.

.

When I came too, I felt a sticking of a syringe in my left shoulder, the ligaments re-sewing themselves and bones cracking back into existence painfully.

"Gah!" I opened my eyes to see Captain Kurotsuchi holding my head in her lap, her torn clothing revealing that she regenerated her missing flesh from my attack. "What…What happened…?"

"Fumenmoku decided to taste your flesh," she sighed. "After that attack on her, she was anxious to return the favor. But, I called her back once she ate your entire arm."

"My…arm?!" I gasped. I had lost a limb! The arm I now saw before me was a regrowth…This…This would take some getting used to.

"Yes, but you're completely healed now. I even undid the effects Mayuri-sama's zanpakuto. And," she smiled serenely once more. "You would have won had your power spike not have faded so quickly. It seems your powers as a Quincy have disappeared, though…" Nemu then sighed. "Such a shame…In any case, I will see to it that you aren't killed."

"Are you going to experiment on me…?" I gulped. My wounds were healed, but my strength was still sapped.

"No, not now. The issue with your ryoka friends is still in effect right now, so I can't break the trust the Gotei 13 has placed in me by making me a captain. I'll have to let another division capture you if they can…But fear not. We do not intend to kill you ryoka until we have gotten a proper report as to whether or not you were all responsible or Captain Aizen's death."

"Let me assure you…" I sat up groggily. "We had nothing to do with it."

"I believe you, but Central 46 might say otherwise," my savior/enemy smiled. "So, if there comes a chance that I can use my power as a captain to keep you or your friends safe still, I will do so. Of course, I'll have to watch my back for a while. Mayuri-sama will reappear in human form in a few days, and will no doubt want my head for humiliating him like that…"

I blinked at her words.

"You refer to him with such an honorific, and yet he's hell-bent on killing you?" I asked, not sure what was going on between her and her lieutenant.

"Yes," she nodded. "Mayuri-sama is my father…in a sense. He created me from his flesh as an assistant and his lieutenant when he became captain of the 12th Division. I was made to be smart, quick, and helpful…But Mayuri-sama made me too well, I'm afraid. I was able to evolve and surpass him in intellect and strength in a matter of years. In time, I proved myself to be vastly superior to his abilities, so much that the Gotei 13 demoted Mayuri-sama to lieutenant and me to his captain. I do feel sorry for him, and that is why I have not kept a tight leash on his abilities. When I was made a captain, it was so that I could keep Mayuri-sama in line. Captain Commander Yamamoto did not fully trust Mayuri-sama and so my replacing him was a means to keep watch over an unstable element such as him. And yet, I did not want to make him feel as if I was his master, so I allowed him to still reign supreme in the Research and Development Institute."

"So, that's why you never did anything about him experimenting on Quincies?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Yes, that was an error on my part," Nemu looked down. "I chose the path of least resistance all for the sake of letting Mayuri-sama having some freedom at the cost of your people's lives. Please, I hope you can forgive me…"

"Maybe…" I looked away.

"As penance, there was an experiment I wanted to try with you, but I'm afraid I can't for the time being…"

"What sort of experiment? You've been talking of one in particular," I asked with hesitation.

"Yes. I've been fascinated by the Quincies' abilities ever since I learned of them. So much that I feel such abilities could only benefit Shinigami. So, the question I have wondered for quite some time now…" she then rubbed my inner thigh teasingly. "Is what would the offspring of a Shinigami and a Quincy be like…?"

"Wh-Wh-WHAT??" I scooted back in fright.

"Why are you so afraid?" the captain blinked. "You have everything to gain from the two of us coupling. The Quincy bloodline will continue, and, our offspring will have prodigious spiritual strength from having a captain for a mother and a skilled Quincy warrior for a father. I promise to raise them with love and kindness too…" she blushed.

"Now, h-hold on one second!" I gulped. "I'm not about to be a father while I'm still in high school! Besides, the children would be illegitimate!"

"Oh, is that all?" Nemu smiled. "Then I will see to it that once your innocence is cleared, we shall be married."

"That's not the point!" I fumed.

"Really…?" she asked with a pout.

"And besides…" I adjusted my glasses. "I want my first time to be special…."

"Oh? So I'm not attractive to you?" she stood as she disrobed, revealing her lack of any sort of undergarments!

"S-Stop! Put your clothing on!" I looked away in fright.

"So you don't think I'm attractive after all…" I heard her sniffle.

"No, that's not what I meant…"

"So you do think I'm attractive?" she asked as I felt her bare arms embrace me as she pressed her bountiful chest against my bare upper body. "If there is anything you want to change, I have access to Mayrui-sama's tools and chemicals. Do you want me to have larger breasts…or for me to have wider hips…or maybe…" My eyes shot open as her soft and warm lips met with mine. My first kiss was with a Shinigami?!

"Perhaps…You would like me to have many additions to my form…?" she purred after pressing me to the ground with inhuman strength. "I promise to be gentle…"

"No," I said firmly, despite my blush. "I have to save Ichigo Kuchiki first. If I make it through all this alive, and after I graduate…I'll think about it," I looked away from her unclothed form. With that info I could at least keep her at bay.

"Fine then," Nemu Kurotsuchi smiled with a soft kiss to my cheek. "I'll be waiting for your answer on that day," she smiled as she walked over to redress. "I never did catch your name, Quincy," she turned to me once she was clothed again.

"It's Uryuu. Uryuu Ishida," I managed to smile back. "And thank you."

"No need to thank me yet," she smiled. "Just don't die before the day I get your answer, alright?"

"Right," I nodded back as the two of is went our separate ways. It wouldn't be long after that I'd be captured by one of the captains that betrayed Soul Society, and then we humans to be cleared of our charges and welcomed by Soul Society.


End file.
